Students then stand in two concentric circles, facing their partner. The inside circle (A's) faces out; the outside circle (B's) faces in.
Students ask each other questions about a review topic, which can be either teacher or student generated.
Students from one the circles rotate to either the left or the right (teacher determines how many steps and in which direction).
Another question is asked and answered.
Hints and Management Ideas:
Pre-assign groups.
Change partners. Move the outside or inside circle at least one step in either direction so students have the opportunity to communicate with more than one partner.
Monitor the discussions for common misconceptions and to make sure the students are on task.
If there is an odd number in the class, the teacher will be part of the circle.
Advantages to using this strategy:
Students have the opportunity to be both the teachers and learners.
Great opportunity to use English and hear English modeling.
When students have appropriate "think time" the quality of their responses improves.
Encourages community building among students.
Some students find it more comfortable to enter into a discussion with another classmate rather than with a large group.
Facilitates peer tutoring and checking for different levels of knowledge acquisition.
No specific materials are needed for the strategy, so it can easily be incorporated into lessons.
inside-outside circle
by Rachel Pentecost
Directions:
Hints and Management Ideas:
Advantages to using this strategy: